Item tracking and theft deterrence

Abstract

Item tracking and theft deterrence is provided to customers utilizing a shipper to receive shipments. A customer or a rule can initiate tracking and theft deterrence to be added to shipment of an item they have ordered or want to ship. A device for tracking and theft deterrence is secured with the item to be shipped. The device relays the location of the item so that the location can be tracked in real time by the customer. The device also collects or relays fidelity data to capture how the item is being treated by the shipper during shipment. Upon delivery, theft monitoring and deterrence by the device is triggered. If the device detects a theft, the device can implement theft deterrent measures or evidence collection to identify the thief. If the device does not detect a theft, the customer can deactivate theft monitoring to pick up the package.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving an indication to track an item to a destination;   securing a device with the item, wherein the device is associated with the item, and wherein the device is trackable to determine a location of the item; and   tracking the location of the device component and the item to the destination.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 detecting delivery of the item to the destination via the device;   triggering theft monitoring of the item by the device upon detecting delivery of the item.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 wherein detecting delivery comprises:
 scanning the item at the destination to mark the item as delivered at a shipping company portal; and 
 determining the item is delivered by a tracer system connecting to the shipping company portal to determine the item has been marked as delivered. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 detecting a theft of the item at the destination;   activating theft deterrent measures based on detecting the theft.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , comprising:
 wherein the theft deterrent measures includes at least one of sending a notification to an intended recipient of the item, sounding an alarm via the device, vibrating the device, notifying a police authority, broadcasting the location of the device and the item, recording video and audio, collection of ambient measurements, or collecting surrounding network information.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein detecting a theft of the item comprises:
 detecting motion of the item via the device, wherein detecting motion includes at least one of a change in location, an applied g-force, a brightness level change, or a sound level change.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprises:
 wherein the device compiles fidelity data of the item during transit to the destination.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 wherein the fidelity data includes at least one of sound, movement, g-force, temperature, humidity, or brightness.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 confirming location of the item by communicating, via the device, with a transit device during transit; and   confirming location of the item by communicating, via the device, with a destination IOT device upon delivery of the item at the destination.   
     
     
         10 . A system, comprising:
 a processor coupled to a memory that includes instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:   receive an indication to track an item to a destination;   secure a device with the item, wherein the device component is associated with the item, and wherein the device component is trackable to determine a location of the item; and   track the location of the device component and the item to the destination.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , comprising:
 detect delivery of the item to the destination via the device;   trigger theft monitoring of the item by the device upon detecting delivery of the item.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , comprising:
 wherein detecting delivery comprises determining the location of the item matches a destination location associated with the destination; and   wherein triggering theft monitoring comprises detecting an absence of change in location or an absence of movement for a predetermined timeout.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , comprising:
 detect a theft of the item at the destination;   activate theft deterrent measures based on detecting the theft.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 14 , comprising:
 wherein the theft deterrent measures includes at least one of sending a notification to an intended recipient of the item, sounding an alarm via the device, vibrating the device, notifying a police authority, broadcasting the location of the device and the item, recording video and audio, collecting ambient measurements, or collecting surrounding network information.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein detecting a theft of the item comprises:
 detect motion of the item via the device, wherein detecting motion includes at least one of a change in location, an applied g-force, a brightness level change, or a sound level change.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , comprises:
 wherein the device compiles fidelity data of the item during transit to the destination, wherein the fidelity data includes at least one of sound, movement, g-force, temperature, or brightness.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , comprising:
 wherein the device is cellular device to provide tracking information over a cellular network.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , comprising:
 confirm location of the item by communicating, via the device, with a transit device during transit; and   confirm location of the item by communicating, via the device, with a destination IOT device upon delivery of the item at the destination.   
     
     
         19 . A computer readable medium having instructions to control one or more processors configured to:
 receive an indication to track an item to a destination;   secure a device with the item, wherein the device component is associated with the item, and wherein the device component is trackable to determine a location and fidelity of the item; and   track the location and the fidelity of the device and the item to the destination.   
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 detect delivery of the item to the destination via the device; and   trigger theft monitoring of the item by the device upon detecting delivery of the item.